Someone's Watching
by little-borgia
Summary: Victoria can handle an unwanted man's attention without Conrad. Can't she?
1. Chapter 1

Victoria Grayson had always considered herself to be in control of every situation. She had learned the hard way to analyze the outcome of situations rather than diving in. And yet, as she sipped wine on her cupola, she feared that the situation was spiraling out of control. She knew deep down that she needed to tell Conrad, but her stubbornness prevented her from doing so. Things with Conrad had been especially toxic the past few weeks and although he would protect her, she refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing she needed him.

It started simply enough. At a local fundraising meeting she was approached by a man she had never seen before. He was attractive, middle aged with brown hair and green eyes. Although Victoria couldn't deny that she found Eric Palmer attractive, she hadn't thought much else of it.

About a week or two later, she arrived at the country club for her tennis match. Her tennis partner had been cancelled without notifying her. At the exact moment Eric had approached her, offering to partner for tennis. She had agreed, but her suspicions were on high alert. Victoria did not believe in coincidences. She had heard from both Eric and her tennis coach that he had been trying desperately to schedule another match with her.

She hadn't responded one way or the other about the tennis match and yet her interactions with Eric seemed more and more frequent. He would show up at the coffee shop as she was ordering, he would be sitting across from her when she ate lunch at a restaurant.

Most recently, he had been hovering around her favorite boutique. As she exited the dressing room he called her name. He invited her to dinner and although she wasn't fond of Conrad, she reminded him that she was married. He changed his invite to grabbing a cup of coffee. Unable to think of another excuse, she had agreed.

Eric was very polite, but still Victoria felt uncomfortable around him. He seemed to have all the answers, mentioning artists and interests that she had. Instead of feeling genuine, Victoria got the impression he had studied up on her before their initial encounter.

Afterwards she had intense research done on Eric Palmer and found that he had gone to school with Victoria in their youth. Although she had changed so much since the middle school girl she had been before being forced to take the fall for her mothers murder she found it hard to believe the entire thing was a coincidence. How long had he been following her? What was he trying to achieve?

She clutched the information on Eric in her hand, silently promising herself that she would not involve Conrad. She could handle one man, right?


	2. Chapter 2

Conrad knew something was distracting Victoria, but he didn't care enough to ask what it was. Instead, he watched his wife cut the same piece of meat for minutes. She had already cut a piece but continued with the motions, clearly lost in her own world. He would have been worried about another David Clarke incident if it hadn't been for the way her eyebrows furrowed. Someone was bothering Victoria and Conrad wished he could buy the mystery person a drink.

"Are you trying to cut through the plate?" He finally asked. The scraping of her knife against the plate was like nails on a chalkboard to him. Victoria looked from him to the plate and back to him.

"Sorry. I've been a little distracted."

"Clearly. Care to divulge into what has taken all your attention?" His curiosity turned into concern when he saw the way she was considering it. Her mouth opened and then shut.

"Victoria, what have you done now?" He huffed.

"It's nothing. A slight hiccup with one of my charity projects." She said, shaking her head. She was mad at herself for almost telling him when he clearly assumed she was one behind it. She rose from the table without another word to Conrad. She couldn't help but wonder if she was safer with Eric.

In his study, Conrad made a few phone calls but was no closer to figuring out what had bothered Victoria. Ever since the David Clarke situation he had kept close tabs on Victoria. He couldn't handle another hit like that and he knew Victoria hadn't completely handled the last one. But aside from playing tennis with another partner, nothing new had happened to his wife. She had gone to the same charity meetings, stopped at the same coffee shop and restaurants, even shopped at the same boutique. If nothing out of the ordinary had happened, why was she so upset?

Conrad brought two glasses of wine to Victoria's room. He was hoping that an offer of a nightcap would convince her to open up to him. He was certain it was probably another battle with Emily Thorne, but he didn't want to risk the chance of it being something more sinister. After all, with all the twists and turns the past few years had provided he knew better than to assume anything at this point.

"A peace offering," he said as he handed the glass to her. She had already changed to a purple satin nightgown. He forgot how beautiful she truly was. He let his hand brush over hers as she grabbed the glass.

Victoria had anticipated Conrad's arrival tonight and worn a shorter nightgown although she promised herself that she wouldn't fall into old habits. She knew that he was interested in whatever was on her mind, not on her. Oddly enough, had she told him what she was worried about he would have convinced her that it was nothing to worry about. Victoria smiled at her husband and sipped the wine.

"Victoria, you know you can talk to me-"

"I'm aware of my abilities, Conrad."

"If there were a problem you could come to me."

"Emily Thorne has been a problem for years and you haven't done anything about that."

"Is that what this is about? Emily?"

"I don't know which 'this' you are referring to." Victoria knew exactly what Conrad was talking about but couldn't resist playing coy. She knew that nothing irritated Conrad like when Victoria played dumb. They both knew that she was far from dumb.

"Victoria, talk to me. Please." Conrad didn't know if he should be worried or angry at his wife's antics. Somehow, he felt both.

"I can take care of myself."

"What is it you're taking care of? At least tell me that."

"My business." She hissed. Although she wanted to tell Conrad, she was quickly losing patience with him.

"Talk to me." He said as he wrapped his arms around her. His concern had turned to fear. Victoria wasn't like anyone else he knew. She would readily ask for help over small matters that she could handle alone, but the bigger things she tucked away and forced herself to deal with alone. That fact that she was purposely playing dumb proved that her problem was not only legitimate but it was potentially big as well.

"It's nothing worth talking about." Conrad locked eyes with her for a few minutes but she didn't waver. He sighed, knowing she wasn't going to cave. He kissed the top of her head and turned to leave when she called to him.

"Conrad... Would you stay with me? Just for tonight?" Her voice was so scared and tiny that he barely recognized it. He didn't even need to consider her offer. He would always be there when she needed him. Despite their rising tensions and their strained relationship, he had never loved anyone the way he loved Victoria.

He held her tightly until he felt her drift off. Looking down at her sleeping form, Conrad promised himself that he would get to the bottom of whatever problem had plagued Victoria's mind. He closed his eyes, welcoming sleep. Instead, he was awakened by Victoria's limbs flailing in her sleep. She was whimpering but he couldn't quite make out what she was saying. He held her tighter, hoping she'd realize that he was by her side. Instead, she yelled louder and he could clearly make out his wife begging "No, Eric. Please!"

Conrad knew Victoria has in deeper trouble than she had lead on.


	3. Chapter 3

Conrad didn't mind that Victoria was gone when he woke up. He knew that she often went for long runs to clear her head and after the nightmares she had all night he knew she needed to clear her head. He also wasn't complaining because it gave him much needed time to get in touch with his security team.

Out of desperation he rounded the entire team into his study, increasing detail on his wife. He also ordered full reports on every Eric in the Hamptons. He knew it would be a lot of work but he didn't have much to go off of.

After his meeting, he noticed a young man waiting for the room to empty. He seemed nervous, perhaps even scared. Conrad felt his temper rising, assuming the security detail waiting for him was the one his wife was afraid of.

"Mr. Grayson? A word?" The young man said after the other men had filtered out. The man seemed so hesitant that Conrad wondered how he could possibly intimidate his wife. He stared at the man, waiting for him to begin.

"I first wanted to apologize. I know I broke the rules-"

"What did you to Victoria?" Conrad yelled. He was losing his patience with the young man. He never had much patience when it came to threats against his wife.

"I was only trying to help!" The young man cried. Conrad bit his tongue, waiting for him to continue.

"Your wife came to me. She asked for me to pull up information. I know it's against the rules to help her without telling you, for that I'm truly sorry. It's just that I've never seen her look so terrified. I couldn't say no."

"Who did she pull up information on?"

"Eric Palmer."

"When you receive the information, I'd appreciate it if you gave me the file first."

"Mr. Grayson I already gave your wife the information?"

"When?"

"Around 5 o'clock yesterday evening. I'm really sorry, Mr. Grayson."

"Don't be. Just get me that information immediately."

The young man scurried off, leaving Conrad alone to put the pieces together. Victoria must have read over the file immediately, which explains her distraction at dinner and he nightmares hours later.

Conrad couldn't sit still so he ventured to Victoria's bedroom. He had to talk to her about this mystery man. He was surprised to find Victoria hadn't returned yet, but didn't think too much of it. Instead of waiting patiently, he let himself snoop around her room, searching for the file. He found it troubling that she hadn't hidden it in her more obvious spots, her safe, under the mattress or between magazines on the cupola. The harder Victoria had tried to hide the file, the more worried Conrad grew. He sat on his bed, running his fingers through his hair. He had to think of the places Victoria knew he would never look. He hated that in many ways, she was more clever than him. He sighed, looking around the room. And then it hit him.

He tossed her dresses and sweaters on the floor, clearing out her closet. After that he moved on to her skirts, then her nightgowns. He found nothing. And then he noticed the stacks of shoeboxes. Victoria had racks specifically for her shoes and yet kept the boxes. He smiled to himself. His wife really was clever. It took a while to sort through the boxes, but he found the file. He half heartedly put things back as they were. He was anxious to read the file, but he also feared Victoria's wrath if she returned to find her dresses wrinkled.

He reread the file over and over. Victoria had attended the same school as Eric, but that was the only connection until a few weeks ago. Was it something from her childhood? She was just a child. Had he been following her since middle school? He felt a knot in his stomach. No wonder Victoria was afraid. Conrad suddenly felt afraid for her. He glanced at the clock, eager for her to return. And then he realized that she had been gone for hours. He could feel his heart race. He knew that come hell or high water, Victoria wouldn't go anywhere without showering after her morning jog. He could feel his hand trembling as he dialed the number to his security detail.

"I think something has happened to my wife."


	4. Chapter 4

Victoria felt immense pain before her eyes opened. Her left shoulder was on fire and it felt like it was on the verge of dislocating. She opened her eyes, preparing to move her arm. Instead, she heard a clattering of metal on metal. Handcuffs. No wonder she was sore, her arm had been handcuffed above her head, connecting her to the metal headboard.

For the first time, she took a long look around the room. It was set up like a small studio apartment, but Victoria doubted anyone lived here. There were no pictures or decorations on the walls, no dishes or cups, not even a candle. Even the beige comforter she was on top of appeared to be brand new.

Victoria squeezed her eyes shut, desperately trying to remember anything. She remembered asking Conrad to stay with her last night. She refused to tell him about Eric Palmer. Why hadn't she just given in and let him take control of the situation. Was Eric to blame for all this? She remembered waking up early for her morning jog. She let her mind entertain the notion that maybe she had gotten injured or fainted while running. Maybe this way a simple gesture of kindness. And then the memory can flooding back. She kept glancing behind her while running because she felt eyes on her. She didn't see anyone and told herself that she was being paranoid. And then she heard her name. She turned around just in time to see the large branch swinging towards her. Suddenly she remembered who called her name.

"I see you're awake." Eric said offering her a cup of coffee. She shook her head, unwilling to risk being handcuffed and drugged on the off chance he had slipped something into her drink.

"My shoulder hurts. Could you uncuff me, Eric? Please?" She silently reminded herself to stay calm and be nice. She was not in a position to push his buttons and she didn't know how his temper worked.

"I can't let you go right now, but I can switch arms to give that one a break. You've been out of it for a while." Victoria sat silently as he pulled a second set of handcuffs out and handcuffed her right hand before releasing her left arm. She rubbed her sore shoulder while keeping her eyes locked on him.

"How long have I been here?" She finally asked.

"You've been asleep for about 5 hours now. You slept the whole car ride over, too. I had to carry you to the car-"

"-after you hit me in the head with a branch." She said flatly.

"Victoria, I am truly sorry about doing that. I'd never want to hurt you. I just needed to get you somewhere where we could talk." He said. She tried to keep a straight face as he ran his hands along her cheek and through her hair, which was now tangled. Inside, she was cringing at how rough and callused his hands felt against her skin.

"Why did I need to be here to talk?"

"We just needed to be alone."

"Eric, I don't understand. What is so important that you couldn't just talk to me before?"

"Don't you see? I'm saving you, Victoria." Victoria felt her heart drop. Her worst fears were confirmed. Whatever Eric was after wasn't as simple as paying a ransom or seeking revenge. He wanted something more. He wanted her.

"Saving me from what?"

"I've known you since middle school. You were so sweet and shy and beautiful. And then everything happened with your trial. I happened to read an article or two about you. And then after flight 197 you became more frequent in the media. These past few years, you're name has been drug through the mud. You deserve better than that. I'm going to treat you like you deserve."

Victoria resisted the urge to remind him that by his line of thinking, being held captive and struck in the head was what she "deserved." She had never regretted anything more than she regretted not mentioning Eric to Conrad. Who knew how long it would take him to figure out what she had been worried about. Even if he could discover Eric Palmer, who knew if Conrad would be able to save her.

"Victoria, I'm going to make things right for us. We're going to have an amazing life together. It may not seem like it now, but one day you'll love me as much as I love you." Victoria offered him a weak smile, but was silently screaming for Conrad to come save her.


	5. Chapter 5

Conrad couldn't believe he had been so naive. He hadn't called the police right away, instead he had gotten his own form of backup ( his security detail) and kicked in Eric Palmer's apartment door.

The cramped apartment was tiny but silent. There was a mattress in the corner but very few other signs of life. He walked around, hoping to find some sign of his wife. He didn't find any loose hairs or shreds of fabric and he hoped that was a good sign and not a bad one. As he opened the closet door, he stepped back in horror.

The closet was completely wallpapered in pictures of Victoria. There were newspaper clippings, publicity photos, and photos that Victoria was unaware were being taken. There were also pictures of Victoria in her youth. Those were the images that haunted Conrad the most. Had this man been following her since her teenage years? Had he been obsessed with her before then? Had he been following her all this time? He choked down a sob, trying to remain calm in front of his security team. He knew what he needed to do. Whether he wanted to or not it was time to notify the police. That meant he had to tell his children that he hadn't been able to protect their mother.

Charlotte was expectedly upset over the news. She felt guilty about some nasty remarks she had made towards her mother the past few days. Daniel seemed shaken but not overly upset. He convinced everyone that Victoria was strong and wouldn't be shaken by the abduction. Conrad was surprised by Emily Thorne's behavior. She seemed more upset than Daniel, even offering a million dollar reward on top of Conrad's reward.

Despite Daniel's attempts to calm everyone's fears, Conrad was terrified. He couldn't fathom the idea of Victoria not being in his life and refused to entertain the notion that some teenage infatuation could lead to her demise. Instead, he focused his fear on his wife's mental state. The children didn't know their mother the way he did. They had never known about the line of potential step fathers who had snuck into Victoria's room, taking things that did not belong to them. Although they knew about Patrick, they were unaware of the violence and the rape that had created him. Victoria had pulled herself up, refusing to be a victim. But how much could one woman suffer? He knew that deep down, she was still that scared little 15 year old. He was terrified of who she would become if Eric took advantage of her. The thought made his blood boil.

Even with the cops and the media coverage, Conrad had increased his security detail. He was going to find his wife. And if one hair on her head had been touched, he was going to kill Eric Palmer.


	6. Chapter 6

_She heard him calling to her before her eyes opened. She knew his voice immediately as he yelled her name. She cried out to him as his voice got closer and closer. In one swift motion he kicked the door shut. _

"Conrad!" She called as his eyes met hers. He let his hand tug a part of her hair.

"You're safe now." He said, grabbing her hand and leading her off the bed. A wave of relief swept over her. She was safe now.

"Conrad!" She called out, waking herself up. She looked around the room, realizing that it had only been a dream. She was still handcuffed to the bed. She was still in her sweaty running clothes. She was still with Eric.

"Morning, beautiful. You must be exhausted. You slept for about 3 hours!"

"I've been trying to get rid of this headache," she said. He didn't have the sense to pick up on the fact that she was referencing him hitting her in the head. She missed her banter with Conrad. He had his flaws, but he always understood her digs at him. They were on the same page. She didn't even think Eric was in the same book as her.

"You need to eat, Vicky. What would you like?"

"Eric, I would really like to use the bathroom. Maybe take a shower. I'd like to change my clothes. That's what I'd really like."

"That's not food."

"How about you let me get myself taken care of and then we'll discuss food." She was struggling to control her temper, but he was tempting her. She wanted to slap him, but she was sure it would only result in both arms being handcuffed to the headboard.

She could see the wheels turning in Eric's head. She knew that if she wanted to survive this ordeal, she had to try to be at least a part of the woman he assumed she was.

"I'd really like to look nice for you, Eric." She choked out. It seemed to appease him.

"I'm not like your last husband. You don't have to try to impress me. Our marriage won't be anything like your last one." He said with a smile that chilled her to her core. She hadn't actually thought that Eric was invested enough to believe they had a future. She could feel her stomach flopping. She was grateful for not eating, otherwise she surely would have thrown up. But she reminded herself that she needed to keep it together.

"If our marriage is going to be different, you need to trust me. Conrad never did and I hated that feeling." She felt her eyes fill with tears, her body rejecting the lie.

"I'm sorry, Vick. I didn't know things were so bad with you two. Let's get you cleaned up." He said. He uncuffed her but held her so firmly that she knew breaking free was impossible. She racked her brain, thinking of objects she may find in the bathroom to defend herself. Instead, Eric pulled the handcuffs out, handcuffing her wrist up to the curtain rod that hung above the tub. Her shoulders were already sore and this only magnified the pain.

"Just taking the precaution. Take your time, I'm going to get us some dinner."

She wondered if she could scream loud enough to draw attention, but he ripped a piece of duct tape from the roll, pressing it against her mouth.

"Just a precaution. We can brush your teeth once I get back." He said, making her wonder why he would need to help her do something so trivial. She didn't want to know the answer.

The water had terrible water pressure and wasn't nearly as hot as she preferred. But, she was alone and that was all she needed. She let the tears stream out, her sobs muffled by the duct tape. She had ignored Conrad when he asked her what was wrong. He would have taken jabs at her, but he would have protected her. She silently pleaded with Conrad to find her. To save her. She regretted all the times she brushed him off or took him for granted. She took a few deep breaths, regaining her composure. She reached for the cheap shampoo and body wash. Although she wasn't happy with the cheap quality she knew it was better than nothing at this point. She struggled to put soap on her chained arm, wanting to get as clean as possible. And that's when she saw it.

One of the screws on the shower rod was missing, and another was coming loose. She used what little weight she had, jumping up and pulling the rod down. She chipped her finger nails turning the screws. She was surprised at how easily the low quality rod fell into her hands. She heard the unmistakable sound of the keys in the door. She climbed up onto the bathroom counter, knowing that Eric wouldn't be able to see her when he got in the bathroom. She hated that she was still naked, but didn't mind flashing him if it lead to her freedom.

"How you making out, honey?" Eric sang as he opened the bathroom door. She saw the realization hit him seconds before she swung the metal rod at him. She whacked him in his head, knocking him to the floor.

"I'm not your honey!" She screamed as she raced out of the bathroom. He caught a fistful of her hair, pulling her back. Her back hit the floor so hard that the wind was knocked out of her but she refused to give up. She struggled to keep hold of the metal rod, which was slipping from her wet hands.

"You're a frisky little thing, aren't you?" He said as he hovered over her, grabbing the metal pole. They both knew the outcome. He was stronger than her, bigger than her, more powerful than her. But she flailed her legs and kicked. She thought she had kicked him hard a time or two, but it made no difference. He grabbed her hair, pulling her to her feet. She refused to scream out or cry, even when he stood behind her, holding the bar to her throat. She clawed desperately at him, taking whatever pieces of skin she could rip. As her breaths got shorter and her eyes grew heavier, she kept reminding herself to get his skin under her nails. She no longer expected to escape Eric so her only hope was to get enough DNA for the police to uncover her murderer. Exhausted, she let her thoughts go to her children and Conrad. A tear trickled down her cheek at the notion that she wouldn't have enough time to fix her marriage. That would be her biggest regret. That was the last thought Victoria had before she lost consciousness.


	7. Chapter 7

Conrad was growing desperate. Everyone around him knew it. He knew it. And yet no one said a word. No one tried to stop him. His latest venture had been a seemingly terrible investment. He had paid well above and beyond top dollar for a small local bank. He knew acquiring the bank would mean losing money but he didn't care. He was tired of waiting for the judge to sign off on pulling Eric's financials and he didn't have time for forensic accountants to make sense of the information. Instead, Conrad bought the company outright, giving him immediate access to the only account he cared about.

He noticed the increased frequency on places that Victoria often visited. Her local coffee shot had gone from cameo appearances on his statements to every day occurrences. He gritted his teeth. Victoria was a very smart woman and he knew that she must have been suspicious long before she asked the security team to dig up information on him.

Although she hadn't even been gone a week he understood why everyone tried to brace him for the worst. There had been no ransom. Not a single demand. No one had heard from her. It was as if she had vanished. He knew from crime stories that the longer she was missing, the less likely it was to find her alive. He also knew that his wife wouldn't be the type to play nice forever. He prayed that she would give into his delusions. He actually prayed that she might discover feelings for him, if no other reason than to spare her life.

Conrad's pity party was interrupted when he noticed several transactions on Eric's statement from a local pizza parlor. It was local, but not close enough to deliver all the way to Eric's apartment. Conrad grabbed his keys, hoping that this would be the big break he had been hoping for.

"Yeah, I've seen that guy. I remember those cute eyes anywhere." The cashier at the pizza place said.

"Did he mention anything unusual or do anything strange?"

"Come to think of it, he mentioned being married but he never wore a ring."

"Have you ever met his wife?" Conrad asked, desperately hoping someone had seen Victoria.

"I never saw her, but he said they've been together since middle school."

"Has he ever gotten delivery?"

"Yeah, just a few days ago."

"Do you still have the address?"

"I can find it. Give me just one second..." The girl said as she headed to the back.

Seconds later she returned with an address. Conrad clutched the address tightly as the driver headed that direction. Conrad didn't want to get his hopes up again, but he knew time was running out. He just prayed it wasn't too late. 'I'm coming, Victoria he thought over and over. He hoped she would somehow get his message.


	8. Chapter 8

It hurt her just to lift her head. She had drifted in and out of consciousness so much that she had no idea how long she had been there. Because of her stunt she was certain that her wrists and ankles were bleeding. Eric had wrapped the handcuffs around the base of the bed and handcuffed each ankle. She didn't complain too much for the sheer fact that she wasn't laying with her legs open. He had maneuvered some type of wire around her wrists. It was covered with duct tape, but she had a feeling it was a bent hanger. Whatever it was, her struggling had caused it to dig into her wrists. Every time she moved she felt what she was certain was dried blood crackling against her skin.

After the shower incident, Eric hadn't even bothered to dress her. Instead he threw a thin sheet over her, forcing her to air dry. As a result, she was chilled to the bone. She could feel her throat aching and was sure her voice would be raspy if she bothered to talk to Eric.

"I didn't realize you were awake. How do you feel?"

"Sore."

"Victoria, I wanted to apologize. I'm sorry we fought earlier. I know you were just frightened. I lost my temper and I'm sorry. I look forward to moving past that."

She turned and stared at the wall, refusing to let the tears fall from her eyes. Eric wasn't just infatuated with her, he was clearly unstable. Had he honestly considered her brutal attack a fight?

"Are you hungry?" He asked, running his sweaty hands along her face and through her hair. She was grateful that his physical contact remained minimum. He touched her face and hair, occasionally offering a small kiss but she knew from her history that he could have done much worse. She shook her head, refusing food that she clearly wanted. She had eaten a few peanuts but not much else. She didn't trust him with food, so she had settled on food that she had to watch him crack.

"You at least need some water." He said, kissing her forehead as he headed into the kitchen.

He returned with a glass of tap water. She shook her head, refusing. She was dying of thirst, but she hated tap water and wasn't planning on being flexible for him.

"I didn't ask if you wanted water." He said flatly. She remained still so he pushed her head back, forcing the water down her throat. Water trickled down her chin and onto her already cold body.

"You need to work with me, sweetheart. One day you'll thank me."

"I will never thank you. I will never care for you and I certainly will never love you!" She screamed. He tugged at her hair, forcing her to look up at him.

"I have shown you nothing but kindness, but you are testing my patience."

"You haven't seen anything yet, Eric." Her threats held no weight and he laughed them away.

"Perhaps this arrangement isn't going to work out. You're not the person I thought you were..." He began. She knew better than to expect that he would let her go. She let the reality sink in that there was only one other option. "... The best thing for both of us might be for me to make a few ... 'Alterations."

"Alterations?"

"I could cut your tongue out. It's quite simple. I saw a video on YouTube. Then you couldn't say such hurtful things. And then you couldn't say no to my advances..." He said, letting his hand roam up her leg. She jerked and struggled but only hurt her ankles and wrists more.

She could feel his breath hit her as his face inched closer and closer. She knew she was signing her own death warrant, but when his lips attacked hers she bit down as hard as she could. He pulled her hair and smacked her in the face, trying desperately to get out of her grip. The sound of his yelps only motivated her to bite down harder. He used both fists, punching her face on both sides. She bit down even harder, wondering if she could actually rip his lip off.

Neither one of them heard the door open. Neither noticed anyone else enter the room. But they both heard the gunshots.

Conrad had fired four shots before Eric turned to face his shooter.

"Get the hell away from my wife." Conrad said. Eric's shirt was soaked with blood, but he turned back towards Victoria. Conrad fired one final shot, hitting Eric in the head. Conrad hadn't realized his wife had been screaming the whole time until her voice started going in and out.

"Victoria!" He cried, rushing to her side. He easily removed the duct tape from her wrists, but had to be careful with the bent hanger. The cheap metal had rusted over the deep cuts in her wrists almost fusing the two together. Trying to separate her from the chains caused fresh blood to spill over the old blood. He was so angry that he wished Eric was still alive so he could kill him all over. Eric had left the key out, so removing the handcuffs from her ankles was an easy task.

Victoria called Conrad's name as she stood, but the instant her feet hit the ground her eyes rolled in the back of her head and her knees collapsed on her. Conrad was already taking off his jacket to give to her but managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

"Mr. Grayson, you may not want to give her your jacket. We'll need any evidence-" a cop said.

"I don't give a damn about evidence! I'm not carrying my naked wife to the hospital!" Conrad snapped as he wrapped the jacket over her.

"We'll need-"

"She needs medical attention! Your needs can wait until then." He wasn't in the mood to argue with the authorities. His only concern was her. His eyes found it hard to focus, bouncing from the cuts to the bruises to the marks along her neck. What had she endured these past 5 days?


	9. Chapter 9

The minute the doctor touched her, Victoria fought tooth and nail. She required 3 attendants to hold her still while the doctor sedated her. It broke Conrad's heart to see her so traumatized, but he was grateful that she would get the rest she desperately deserved. He was also grateful that he was able to convince the staff to give him the prognosis before telling Victoria. His motivations were simple. If it turned out that Eric had raped Victoria, he needed to figure out how to help Victoria recover from it.

Fortunately, the doctor found no signs of sexual assault. She also had managed to escape without any life threatening injuries. Conrad kept reminding himself that she had been relatively lucky, although he knew it wasn't as simple as black and white.

The rusted hanger had caused an infection on Victoria's wrists that was borderline severe. The doctors were keeping close tabs on the swelling around Victoria's head, although they assured Conrad it would most likely recover on its own. She was being treated for acute hypothermia as a precaution. In the 6 days that she was missing, she had lost almost 15 pounds and was now facing dehydration and was malnourished. She was fighting They couldn't speculate on her back until she woke up.

All of that was nothing compared to what Victoria had endured mentally. Conrad was reminded of it every time he sat in her hospital room. The EKG machines beeped more rapidly anytime anyone came near Victoria. The only thing that Conrad found solace in was the way it steadied when he spoke to her. He seemed to be the only thing that could calm her down. He held her hand and talked to her, encouraging her to wake up.

She slept almost two whole days.

"Conrad?" She whispered as her eyes opened. He ran his hands through her hair, trying not to let her see him looking at all the cuts and bruises she had acquired.

"How do you feel?" He asked quietly.

"I want to go home, Conrad." He knew better than to pressure her to stay in the hospital. If she were ever going to get over the abduction, she'd need to be back at home where she felt safe.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to see what I can do for you."

Conrad had expected the doctor to give in to him and release Victoria. Instead, the doctor had the audacity to challenge him.

"I think she'd do better here, Mr. Grayson."

"She wants to go home. After all she's been through, this is the one thing she asked for."

"I don't mean to be blunt, but I've seen your family on the media. Your wife needs to relax. I worry that her stress levels will increase-"

"Impossible. My wife's care is the top priority."

"I hope so," the doctor said with a sigh. Conrad was excited to tell Victoria, but by the time he returned to the room she had already fallen back asleep. He still packed her things, hoping to give her the chance to wake up back at home.


	10. Chapter 10

Because Victoria was slipping in and out of consciousness, Conrad held her in the car, ensuring that a turn or quick stop wouldn't send her flying around the backseat. It also helped Conrad cope with all that had transpired. Holding her was proof that he had saved her. She was no longer in danger. And most importantly that she was his.

He let his arms rest over hers, stopping her from attacking in the midst of a nightmare but also comforting her. Her head rested against his neck so whenever she began twitching and calling out he was able to whisper directly into her ear. Simple phrases like "you're safe now" or "I've got you," managed to calm her and she relaxed more, drifting back to sleep. He was hoping to talk to her about everything but between the trauma and the strong pain medication, she wouldn't be fully alert for some time. He forced himself to focus on the silver lining, that at least in this state she would be willing to let him help her.

He stared down at her, a broken ball. He wondered if he would ever fully understand what Eric had done to her. Victoria had pushed his buttons more than anyone he had ever known and yet the idea of laying a hand on her was unfathomable. But Eric had hurt her in so many ways. He had physically tortured her, creating a mosaic of cuts and bruises on her body. His emotional damage had destroyed her and Conrad knew that was partially why she let herself slip in and out of consciousness. But the worst was that he had violated Victoria sexually. Although he didn't rape her, his kiss and touch were unwelcome. The first thing Conrad saw when he entered the apartment was Eric's lips on hers, his hand traveling up her thigh. Conrad couldn't get the image out of his head; Eric towering over Victoria and her struggling desperately to keep him away.

He had been so wrapped up in the memories that he didn't realize Victoria was awake until she slid off him and into the seat next to him.

"How do you feel?"

"Sore. And confused ."

"The doctor said a little confusion is normal considering your head injury."

"How did you find me?" She asked.

"I found out that you had gotten information on Eric Palmer and ransacked your bedroom until I found the file. I went to his apartment but it was empty. I alerted the authorities, but the wheels of justice turn slowly so instead of waiting for them to pull financial records I bought the bank and got the records immediately. That lead me to a pizza parlor, where they kept a record of the delivery address."

"You bought the bank?" She asked, suppressing a giggle.

"My dear, there is nothing I wouldn't do for you." She remained silent, letting the words sink in. She didn't often listen to him but his actions had spoken louder than his words. She pushed him away when he asked what was on her mind and still managed to save her.

As the car pulled into Grayson Manor, they noticed the media frenzy outside. Reporters were pressing against the back windows, eager for any sign of Victoria.

"They're like vultures." She said, looking out the window.

"They're just worried about their queen."

"I'm hardly a queen. Not anymore, at least." She said as she ran her fingers along the heavy bandages on her wrists.

"Nonsense. You've always been a queen. And a beautiful one at that." She sat, motionless. Conrad could tell the tears were filling in her eyes before he saw them. Victoria bit down on her lower lip, trying to steady the tremor. He called her name but she didn't respond, so used his finger to lift her chin, forcing her to look at him. "This was not your fault, Victoria. None of it was. You did nothing wrong." He hadn't meant to speak so sternly, but he refused to let Victoria take any part of the blame for what had happened.

"You asked me..." She started, her voice wavering.

"You didn't know this would happen, Vic. It is not your fault."

"If it weren't for you... He said he was going... I would have... If you were even a few minutes late..." Victoria broke down, sobbing so hard that Conrad scooped her up and held her tight. Her sobs forced her body to shake so hard that Conrad could feel his body shaking. Instead of talking to her or trying to fix the situation, he simply held her. He knew he couldn't fix the situation and Victoria would talk to him when she was ready to go into the horrific details of what happened. For right now, she just needed him to be there and protect her. That's exactly what he did.


	11. Chapter 11

Victoria pushed off taking her pain medication. As a result, she was both sore and exhausted. Still, she didn't let it show. She listened intently as Charlotte explained in great detail all the prep school gossip. After hearing about two pregnancies, a drug problem and a football player who was secretly gay, Victoria wondered if Charlotte was summarizing some teen show. Still, she listened intently, excited to have her daughter enjoying their company. Before Charlotte had finished up Daniel came home. He kissed the top of her head before sitting down and telling her about all the week Grayson Global had. She was a little sad that her children hadn't mentioned much about themselves but she was happy to spend time with them regardless. She was also aware that neither child asked a single question about what happened to her. She wondered if Conrad told them not to, but she almost knew that they'd rather not know if their mother had been raped. She hadn't been, but was grateful for the consideration. She knew Conrad was waiting for her to tell him everything. She knew that telling him would send the memories flooding back and she wasn't sure she was strong enough for that yet.

Victoria's thoughts were interrupted by Emily, who had arrived for Daniel. Emily made sure to mention all the work that needed done for a charity they had agreed to co-chair. Victoria was grateful for for the strict doctors orders.

"I'm sorry, Emily. The doctor has a strict no stress rule. I'm afraid I'll have to miss this one. But do let me know how you make out." She said, offering a fake smile. Even a near death experience wouldn't make her trust Emily. "I apologize but I am exhausted. Good evening, Emily." She said, rolling her eyes after she had passed Emily.

Conrad felt bad for the girl, but couldn't seem to keep his smile hidden. Despite everything that had happened, Victoria was still Victoria. Although he understood her fragility and her need to break down when the memories got too overwhelming, he felt a surge of relief. Somewhere under all the hurt and pain was his wife. He knew she had as many flaws as she had qualities (maybe even more) but she was the woman he loved.

He waited until he knew she'd be asleep before he slipped into her room. He wanted to deny it but he knew she couldn't make it through a few hours without a nightmare. She had been willing to take the pain medications but had refused the sedatives. She would never admit it, but he knew she was pushing herself, forcing herself to speed up her recovery so she could put it all behind her. It didn't work that way, but Conrad refused to tell her.

Instead, he sat on her cupola. He had never spent time up there alone, not like she did. Honestly, he didn't see the appeal aside from a glimpse of Emily's cottage. But it made him feel close to Victoria. The further they had drifted apart in their marriage, the more he had looked to things like her cupola to make him feel close to her. He often stared at her favorite paintings, trying to see what she saw in them. It never worked. He didn't understand the way his wife's mind worked. And whenever he got close to figuring it out, she'd pull the rug out from under him, making him start at the beginning. He glanced back at Victoria, who slept soundly. He was tempted to pull a chair into her bedroom or climb into bed, desperate to be near her but he knew that wasn't what she needed. And if she woke up to find him in her personal space it would push her away. Instead he waited, knowing what would happen.

Like clockwork, his wife started with a whimper or two. He stood in the doorway praying that she'd fall back asleep, but he knew better. They had been through this a half dozen times and there didn't seem to be an end in sight. Soon she was crying out, flailing her arms and pleading to be left alone. Not wanting to hover over her, he bent down on his knees next to her.

"Victoria, you're safe. Victoria!" A gut wrenching scream broke from her mouth, waking her up. She stared at Conrad, terrified by her own reaction.

"You're okay. You're safe. I'm here." Conrad repeated over and over, like a mantra. Eventually, Victoria's breathing steadied and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He could feel her small body trembling, which only made him hold her close. He wished there were a way to take all of the pain and fear from her and transfer it to him. But the best he could do was to be there for her.

"I can't keep going like this," she said.

"My dear, you need to talk about it. If not to me to someone. Anyone. Otherwise this will all manifest until it takes over your life."

"It already has taken over my life." She knew he was right. She poured Conrad a glass of scotch. "You're going to need this." She said.

Conrad sat silently, letting her tell her story at her own pace. She started at the beginning, the random meetings that became more and more frequent. She saw the anger boil when she talked about her jog and turning her head just in time to see Eric swinging a log towards her head. She told him about trying to be nice, thinking Eric would let her go. She paused, knowing he would be angry when she told him about the shower stunt. She knew she could have died trying to break free. He noticed her hesitation immediately.

"You can tell me, Vic. What is it?"

"Don't get mad-" her voice was trembling, a sound he would never be used to.

"Never. I'm here to listen."

"He handcuffed me to the shower rod while he left. And I was able to twist the screws and pull the rod down. I waited for Eric to return and I hit him with the pipe as hard as I could. I thought," she took a moment to steady her voice. "I thought I got him and I was naked and trying to get free and he grabbed my hair and threw me onto the floor. He attacked me. He pressed the shower rod against my throat. I thought I was dying..."

Conrad couldn't believe she had been so worried to tell him about how hard she had fought. He put his hands on her shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze.

"Victoria, I would never fault you for your fight. You don't even know how incredible you are. I have never been prouder. You are such a fighter and I love that about you." She didn't acknowledge his words, but he could see a small blush creep across her face.

"That's why I was naked when you found me. He didn't rape me, but he left me tied up, naked. He said he was going to cut my tongue and keep me handcuffed as some sex slave or something. He ran his hands up my thigh and leaned in to kiss me. So I bit him. Hard. He was punching both sides of my head but I wouldn't let go. I knew that if I let go he was going to kill me. But then you stopped him. You saved my life."

"There is nothing I wouldn't do for you." She shook her head absentmindedly. The two sat in silence for a few minutes, letting them both replay what had happened. She moved closer, her lips touching his so lightly that she thought she imagined it until she felt his tongue mingle with hers.

"I don't think you're thinking clearly," he offered, breaking their kiss. He wanted her desperately but was afraid he'd be taking advantage.

"Maybe I'm just starting to think clearly," she looked at him, her brown against his blue. "I need this. I need you." That was all the encouragement he needed.

Things were different this time. They weren't desperately clawing and scratching one another. He wasn't out to make her beg for her pleasure. Instead he took her cues and worked on paving over the bad memories. She pushed his hand long her thigh, over and over until she didn't cringe at the memory.

Victoria couldn't help but think of herself and Conrad in terms of the ocean. She was like the water, her hips rising like waves and crashing into him rhythmically. And he was the shore, always absorbing whatever water she allowed him to feel. They matched each other's rhythm and afterwards he was happy when she curled into his embrace. Before long she was sound asleep. He wished she would have a peaceful sleep, but he knew she'd probably wake up screaming. He vowed to be there, not only the next time but every time. He may have failed her once, but he would never make that mistake again.


	12. Chapter 12

Victoria still woke multiple times throughout the night. This time, it wasn't fear that pulled her back to reality, it was desire. Conrad gave into her desires every time, following the same rhythm; he didn't want to do anything different until she initiated it. After every time she curled up closer than she had the time before. Conrad relished in the idea that he could provide her comfort. In their marriage there had been too few chances for him to truly take care of Victoria. He foolishly thought that talking about her encounter and being intimate again had cured her nightmares and set her down the path to recovery.

In the early morning hours he felt her stirring. He expected her to pull him on top of her again, but instead of a moan she let out a whimper. He ran his hand along her arm, hoping to calm her back to sleep. Instead, she screamed loudly as she flailed her arms.

She was loud enough to wake Daniel, who burst into the bedroom calling for his mother. Both men tried, but neither could snap Victoria out of her nightmare. She was screaming, begging for Eric to leave her alone. Daniel had never seen anything like it. The only thing that came close to what he imagined his mother encountering was Freddy Krueger movies he had watched as a young man.

"She needs her sedative, Dad."

"She said she didn't want it."

"She needs it." He said, pulling two pills from the bottle. Without another choice, he tilted his mothers head, forcing the two pills into her mouth and then pushing the glass of water to her mouth.

Even in her sleep, the way Daniel tilted her head and forced the water brought flashbacks of Eric pulling her hair to tilt her head back and forcing the tap water down her throat. Her eyes flew open, but she wasn't fully awake. She swung her hands rapidly. She smacked the glass out of Daniel's hand, cutting her own hand in the process. Her other wrist hit the edge of the nightstand, the bandage that had been covering the cuts immediately filled with blood.

"Mom! Mom, stop!" Daniel cried. Neither Conrad or Daniel heard Charlotte enter the room. She managed to crotch down by the edge of the bed, avoiding her mothers arms.

"Mom, please calm down. Please Mom." Charlotte sobbed as she ran a hand over Victoria's head. It slowed Victoria's swing, so Charlotte kept petting her mother's head, talking to her. Eventually, Victoria quieted herself down. Conrad wasn't sure if it was because of Charlotte or the medicine, but he would never share that with Charlotte.

After Victoria quieted down, Conrad assured the kids she would be fine. They were reluctant, but headed back to bed. Just like Charlotte had, he ran his hands through Victoria's hair.

He felt like a child waiting for the principal. He knew that Victoria would lash out when she woke up. She had specifically told her family she didn't want the sedative. Although it was Daniel who had forced them on her, Conrad was grateful. She needed them and Conrad had been too afraid of disobeying her. He say next to her in bed, not knowing if she could wait for her to wake up or dread it.

"Save me..." She whispered in her sleep. "I love you... Please ... Save me..." Conrad couldn't help but wondering who she had been crying out for. He knew it wasn't possible that she had fallen for Eric Palmer. He hated to admit it, but he wondered if while being held captive if Victoria had been calling to David Clarke, desperate to escape the pain and be reunited in the afterlife with David.

Conrad watched his sleeping wife cry out to be rescued and wondered if she could ever choose him over the ghost of David Clarke. If she couldn't, where did that leave them? After being able to care for her and show affection so freely, he doubted he could go back to the facade they had been before.

"Please... Save me... Please, Conrad...I love you..." Victoria called in her sleep. Conrad immediately held her tighter.

"You're safe, Victoria. I love you and you're safe."


	13. Chapter 13

"Mom, stop! Just stop apologizing." Charlotte said.

Charlotte had listened to her mother apologize profusely for having a nightmare. It angered Charlotte that her mother would feel the need to take responsibility for what happened to her. It wasn't her fault. She hadn't asked for any of it.

"Yeah, Mom. We're just glad you're okay. After seeing how upset you got last night I'm just grateful that Eric Palmer didn't do anything to hurt you worse."

"Daniel!" Charlotte yelled, kicking him hard enough with his heel to make him cry out. "What is wrong with you? I think he hurt her pretty bad. There aren't layers of hurting her. Stop acting like it could have been worse. You don't know what she went through!"

"Charlie, come on. That's not-"

"Save it."

Both kids put their hands on their hips, staring at their mother, waiting on her to resolve the issue. She wasn't in the mood to fix their problems. She had her own to deal with.

"Let's just get along, shall we?" She said, heading to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. Frustrated, both kids walked off.

"Tell me you didn't want to slap Daniel." Conrad said when she got to the kitchen.

"I'm saving my strength for later. I'm going to need it."

"Care to enlighten me?"

Victoria pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Conrad.

"Victoria, I don't think this is a good idea..."

"I need to do this."

"Please..."

"Are you going to help me or not?" She snapped. Conrad couldn't help but flinch. Victoria hadn't done so much as raised her voice since the incident. He knew she was serious about this mission. He sighed heavily before answering her.

"I'll help you with all but the last one."

"Conrad-"

"You're too sore and you lost too much weight the past few days. It's out of the question-" She opened her mouth to argue but he spoke before she could "for now."

"Let me grab my purse and I'll be ready." She said.

Conrad braced himself. He knew today was going to be a bad day.

He could feel her digging her heels into the ground as they walked towards the coffee shop. While it had sounded good in theory, Victoria's decision to revisit every place she had encountered Eric was harder than it sounded. He was grateful he had created logical excuses for her not to follow her jogging path. He knew from her nightmares that she couldn't handle going past the exact spot she had been abducted. He wasn't even certain how she'd handle the areas that Eric had "bumped into" Victoria. But, like always, he had to admire her determination.

He watched her stare at the table the entire time they waited for their order.

"Should we sit outside?" He offered, silently pleading with her to agree.

"No. I want to sit over there." She said, pointing to the table in the corner. It was hard for Conrad to imagine Victoria sitting with Eric, drinking coffee. It made his blood boil to think of how manipulative Eric had been towards his wife.

"He invited me to dinner so I told him I was married..." She started as she sat down. She absentmindedly ran her hands along the oak table. Conrad noticed the way her hands trembled harder and harder. If Victoria noticed, she made no mention of it.

"When I turned him down he invited me for coffee. I agreed. It gave me chills, our conversation. It seemed as though every topic was something he had studied. He'd ask me paintings, but add my favorite artists before I could answer. He'd ask if I ever saw a movie that he must have known I enjoyed. It was such a stupid decision-"

"-You didn't know. None of this is your fault. If anything, going with him delayed the inevitable. If not he may have abducted you before you pulled his records. Then..." He let his words drop, both of them aware of what would have happened if she hadn't asked for his information.

He could see the tears drop to the table at the idea. Her entire body started to tremble and he knew she was struggling to maintain control. For Victoria, it felt like she was being held underwater. She couldn't breath and the more she tried to control the situation the worse it seemed to spiral. She hadn't noticed Conrad move until his face was pressed against the side of hers. His mouth was next to her ear, ensuring his words reached her only.

"You're safe, Victoria. There is no need to be afraid. Eric Palmer will never be a threat again. I killed him, Vic. I saw him hurt you and I shot him. I shot him again and again and again until he was dead." His words should have shocked her, but she found comfort in them. Despite Conrad's violence against Eric, Victoria felt safe in his arms.

"I'll always protect you. Always." He whispered. She wiped the tears and realized that the tremors had stopped.

She leaned close, giving him a kiss. Her tongue ran along his lips until he gave her access. He grabbed her arms but stopped himself before pulling her into his lap. He tried to control his urges, reminding himself that this way a family place.

They stayed a little while longer, her leg brushing against his as they made small talk. He didn't want to leave until he thought she was completely at ease. It may take a few visits, but he was certain that if she could continue going to the spots that troubled her that she'd be one step closer to putting it behind her.

"I'm glad you decided to do this." He said as they headed out.

"I'm glad you agreed to help me. I couldn't do this without you." She said, sliding her hand into his.


	14. Chapter 14

The country club seemed like a simple enough feat. Victoria didn't seem troubled as she strutted towards the changing rooms. She hadn't even hesitated before going into the women's locker room. He hadn't expected her to, her problems hadn't stemmed from another female.

He couldn't help but admire her as she reemerged. Although the ordeal had left her skinnier than she already was, her white tennis outfit made her hair seem darker than it already was and even gave her porcelain skin the illusion of being more tan. Of course, he had always loved the way the hem of her tennis dress fell in the middle of her thigh and the way her hair swished from side to side in it's high ponytail.

"Are we playing?" She asked, although she was already headed towards the court. He followed behind her, wondering how he had ever gotten so lucky as to be anywhere near her. Her determination to put this behind her amazed him. He knew she was strong, but this was so much more than that. She was such a power box that he felt honored to be around her.

They played tennis, laughing and enjoying each other's company. He was grateful that she didn't have a strong reaction like she'd had with other things, but he knew that it would be touch and go for a while. The biggest things didn't phase her and yet the smallest things caused the biggest reactions. He had expected it but the reality of it still stung.

He was grateful that he knew his wife so well. He had already formulated a plan when she leaned over the net, wiping her forehead with.

"You've lost your touch."

"I let you win. There's a difference." He said, flashing her a smile.

"Let's get changed."

He grabbed her waist as they approached the sauna, whispering dirty thoughts in her ear. He could feel the heat of her blush, but knew his wife better than that. He wasn't expecting her to agree. The opposite, actually.

"Not in there," she said, wrinkling her nose "everyone sweats in there."

"That's the intention."

"I'm not sitting -or whatever the case may be- on a spot where I don't know who has been dripping sweat all over the place."

He smiled. She was too easy sometimes.

"Fine. This will have to do..." He said, steering her into the massage room. He knew she wasn't a fan of having strangers touch her, so he had booked the room and given the staff the day off. As much as he would have liked to get intimate in the middle of the sauna, what he really wanted was to give Victoria a massage. He wanted to fill the country club with good memories like they did at the coffee shop, but he also knew that her body ached. Although she'd never acknowledge it, she had to be sore from the way Eric had handled her.

"I hope this isn't for me. You know I hate having strange people paw at me."

"It is for you, but I sent the masseuse home for the day. I found the perfect person for the job."

"Who?"

"Me." He said, holding his hands out to her. The smile he received made him smile in return. She was reluctant but agreed, laying on the massage table. She triple checked that the door was locked, but eventually stepped out of her dress and unhooked her bra so Conrad could massage her back.

Victoria hadn't let herself admit how much she hurt since the attack. She was constantly aware of the way her body screamed at her, crying over it's bumps, bruises and cuts. And yet she silenced that voice inside herself, refusing to give Eric any more power than he had already stolen from her. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn't stop from believing that if she ignored the physical pain she could ignore the mental anguish as well.

Conrad could feel Victoria start to relax, her tense body slowly turning to putty because of his hands. Her breathing changed, and he knew she had dozed off. He was grateful for her sake. He wished she wouldn't fight resting, but he knew that with her nightmares it wasn't as simple to her. It was impossible for her to find even a shred of relaxation when she woke up screaming every time. The thing that caused her the most stress was the thing she needed the most.

He moved across the room, trying to find something to cover her with. He had hoped to find a blanket, but settled on a towel. As he covered her, his hand brushed against her bare skin. It was such an innocent touch and yet it was enough to send Victoria into a panic. She jumped off the table, screaming to be left alone. Conrad tried reasoning with her, attempting to hand her the dress. She not only refused, but it pushed her further into her flashbacks. As a result, she crouched down in the corner of the room, burying her head between her knees as she sobbed.

Conrad wanted to grab her, hold her, reassure her but he knew that she wasn't in the right frame of mind. He worried that the littlest pressure from him would send her further away from the past. Instead, he waited patiently for her to wear herself out. Since the kidnapping, Victoria had reminded him of Charlotte as a toddler. They both fought sleep constantly. They both got worked up and were untouchable at their worst. And just like Charlotte as a toddler, Conrad knew that sometimes the best thing for Victoria was to let her cry herself out.

Luckily, Victoria was still asleep when the doctor entered the room. Conrad had covered her with a towel.

"How is she doing?" The doctor asked.

"It comes in waves. She'll be fine and then have a meltdown."

"And specific triggers?"

Conrad sighed. Everything seemed to set her into a panic.

"It's been getting more frequent, but she's been pushing herself to recover-"

"Pushing herself how?"

"Revisiting the places she encountered Eric before the abduction. She thinks that by facing those fears she'll be able to get over what happened."

"It isn't fear that's holding her back. The more she pushes the memories down the more they will seep into her everyday life. Visiting the places she bumped into Eric isn't what is holding her back. What happened in that apartment is. Until she can handle that, she has little chance to avoid these type of meltdowns."

The doctor injected Victoria with a sedative. Victoria whimpered but did not wake. Conrad quickly put her dress back on and carried her to the table so the doctor could reexamine her.

"These cuts on her wrist are still dangerously close to an infection. I'm going to prescribe stronger antibiotics and a stronger antibiotic ointment."

"I understand."

"Try to keep her out of high heels. Her ankle is still a little swollen. Has she mentioned it?"

"She refuses to mention any type of pain."

"I'm going to give you a few prescriptions. Pay careful attention to her. If you notice her showing signs of discomfort in her neck, back, headaches, anything like that just give her the medicine. I'd rather you have it all on hand instead of waiting. And I'm going to give you the injections for sedative-"

"I don't-"

"If she won't take them, you may need to inject her with it. You need to take care of her when she can't."

Conrad nodded, but even as the doctor handed him the prescriptions he wasn't sure he'd have the strength to force an injection on Victoria.

He brushed the hair out of her face as he carried her out of the country club and back to the car. As the driver headed home, he couldn't help but think he was in the same position that he had been almost a week ago, holding his drugged, sore, traumatized wife so she would be able to wake up in the comfort of her own bed.


	15. Chapter 15

Conrad had weighed the options over and over. He had talked to the doctor, talked to the children. The doctor made it sound like it was the only answer. Daniel admitted that it was the logical answer. Charlotte refused to entertain the notion, clearly horrified at the idea. Conrad knew it was the best option and yet he was too afraid to follow through with it. He could only guarantee a 50% chance of success. Although he felt hopeful, he knew that if his plan failed Victoria would be in a worse place than she currently was. How much worse? He couldn't even begin to imagine.

He made sure to keep a group of doctors on call, renting out the apartment next door specifically for that purpose. He kissed his unconscious wife on the forehead, asking for her forgiveness before carrying her into the apartment.

He had paid close attention to the doctors warnings earlier. He understood that her trauma stemmed from this apartment. If she wanted to revisit the places, she needed to revisit this place. He hoped that even in her fragile state of mind that she'd be strong enough to get past this. If she wasn't, he didn't know what to do for her.

He held her on the bed, not wanting her to wake up alone. He ran his hands along her hair, her back and her neck, speaking calmly to her. He prayed she wouldn't have a nightmare. Not today, he prayed. Not today.

He couldn't help but glance down at the stain on the hardwood. The blood had turned dark brown, but was still unmistakable. Conrad knew that he was responsible for the stain on the floor. He had shot Eric Palmer. Although it was justifiable, he knew that had Eric not been hovering over his wife he would have shot him anyway. There wasn't a single scenario that didn't include Conrad killing Eric.

He couldn't take his eyes off that spot. For the first time since he realized she was missing he let his mind go through the worst case scenarios. What if she hadn't asked for his information? If she hadn't or if Eric had ambushed her the chances of rescuing her would have been minuscule. He clutched Victoria tighter, silently vowing to never take her for granted again. Although she was only asleep, the sedation made her body feel limp in his arms. The notion of it made him lose control, his deepest fears surfacing. He was able to control his sobs, not wanting to wake her, but the tears refused to stop. His body shook and the tears refused to slow down.

His mind was going full speed. He couldn't stop the images of Victoria bound and bloody, of him finding her lifeless body somewhere. He imagined her crying out for him as Eric tortured her mentally, physically and sexually. He couldn't shake the guilt over the scenarios in his head. They had gotten so far from where their relationship had started that he almost lost her. She had a feeling she was in danger and hadn't told him. He would never have forgiven himself if something happened to her because he had destroyed the trust in their marriage.

He kissed the top of her head, swearing that he would change his ways. He made mental notes of all the things he'd do differently. He'd work to keep the romance alive. He'd make her laugh more often; he hadn't heard the deep laugh nearly often enough. Not only would he regain her trust, but he'd make an effort to keep it. More than that, he'd make an effort to keep her.

His thoughts were interrupted by her stirring.

"Are you crying?" She asked without noticing where they were. Conrad had forgotten that he had been crying. He wiped his eyes quickly, clearly embarrassed.

"It dawned on me that I almost lost you-"

"Conrad-" she started, suddenly aware of where she was. He was distracted, not noticing how frozen she became. He had so much on his mind that he couldn't stand an interruption. He needed to tell her how he felt.

"I'm going to make it up to you, Vic. Every day, for the rest of our lives. I feel like I've been given a second chance. I won't let you slip through my fingers again."

"Why are we here?" She suddenly yelled, her voice depicting fear not anger.

Conrad sighed. One more obstacle to get through. He prayed Victoria had the strength to make it through this final test.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I wanted to thank you all for the reviews, they've definitely kept me going. This may be the final chapter to this story, so I just wanted to thank everyone.**

"Victoria, I support your decision to revisit the spots where Eric approached you. You've done such an amazing job-" She shook her head, refusing to acknowledge his words.

"It was a mistake. I'm not strong enough. I had another episode at the country club."

"Isn't that the point? You haven't been having 'episodes', my dear. You've been confronting your demons head on. I am in awe of the strength and fierce determination that comes from you. I know this is hard, but this is what you've got to face, not a tennis court or a coffee shop. This apartment."

"I can't. Please." She begged, the tears filling in her eyes.

"You can, baby. I know you can. And I'll be here every step of the way."

She nodded, but still looked terrified. It broke Conrad's heart to see her so fragile, so small. He let his thumbs brush over her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her closer, hating the way her body trembled. Before Eric Palmer had entered their lives, he had never seen his wife afraid of anything. He knew she wasn't always the easiest person to handle, but how had one man managed to destroy her so easily? Although she tried to hide it, Conrad could always see the scared little girl in Victoria's eyes. Had Eric seen it? Had he even cared? Had it pushed him to torment her even more? He held Victoria closer, grateful that those questions would remain unanswered.

Victoria felt safe enough in Conrad's embrace to let herself look around the apartment. When she was first abducted, she found it nerve wracking that the apartment was bare. Now she was grateful. She couldn't have handled seeing pictures of Eric on the wall. Her gaze ran across the floor, memories of her struggling with the shower curtain rod. She was now trembling so much she could feel it. Conrad held her tighter, confirming that he felt it, too. She looked at the dried blood stain. It was Eric's blood, but she understood how easily it could have been hers. Conrad was right when he told her this was a wake up call regarding their relationship. She could have died because she refused to admit weakness to her husband. She now understood the dangers of being so closed off. She silently vowed to work really hard to fix and maintain her marriage. She wanted things to be open and honest, like they had in the beginning. She knew it started with her.

"I'm glad." She whispered.

Conrad moved so he could look her in the eyes. He wasn't sure what she was talking about. Although the fear was still visible there was also a calmness about her expression.

"What?"

"I'm glad he's dead. I'm happy that you killed him. I know that's terrible, but I'm glad."

"Eric Palmer was a sick man, Victoria. No one expects you to mourn him. He was a monster." She nodded and for the first time he felt like he was really getting through to her. The idea that she felt as though she ought to mourn Eric made his stomach flip. He didn't notice the way Victoria was running her hand over the cheap bedding until she spoke.

"The first time I woke up here I was laying on top of the blankets. I had been in my jogging clothes. Either he took my ponytail out or it had fallen out and my hair was so tangled. I had finally convinced him to let me take a shower and he handcuffed me to the shower curtain rod and put tape over my mouth and then he left. That's when I tried to fight him. He knocked me unconscious, so when I woke up after that I was freezing. I had been soaking wet and naked when I fought him and he must have just thrown me on the bed that way and threw this flimsy thing over me. I was so cold, I could feel it in my bones."

"The doctor treated you for acute hypothermia. It was a really close call." He said, brushing her hair to one side and nuzzling the crook of her neck.

"You're safe now. You're protected, warm and healthy. He's gone. This place can't hurt you, Vic. It's over."

"Is that why you brought me here?"

"To show you that there is nothing to be afraid of, yes."

She leaned in to kiss him. He was all too familiar with the way she pressed her body against his. She immediately picked up on his hesitation.

"This place has no power, right?"

"It doesn't but I worry about-"

"You've got to trust me, Conrad."

He couldn't argue with her logic. He let her take the lead and she laid down on the bed. She kept her dress on but slid her panties off, her eyes never leaving Conrad's. She grabbed his shirt, pulling him down on top of her. She maneuvered his body, pushing him even deeper as she clung to him. They laid like that long after they had finished, kissing and holding one another. Conrad thought she seemed more at ease than she had since the abduction. He couldn't help but feel like he had finally gotten his wife back.


End file.
